50+ year old Indian couple recently divorced, trying to find their way in their new lives. Suresh is addicted to internet dating, traveling all over to meet younger Indian women, only to find out they have lied on their profiles. Lata, living alone in her small apartment, disappointed in life...her 30 year old daughter is in marry and her son and only grandson live after he country. Did not enjoy the book...too depressing for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Late Bloomers is a family drama about two Indian-immigrants, Suresh and Lata, in the aftermath of their divorce after several decades of marriage. While Lata is enjoying her newfound independence, Suresh is lonely and trying his hand at internet dating. Their adult children are experiencing their own relationship challenges and hiding realities from their parents. All secrets come to light and hijinks ensue.

I enjoyed the multiple POVS, especially as Suresh is confronted with the modern world of online dating. This is a sweet and heartwarming novel about forgiveness, growth and the importance of understanding different perspectives.

There’s something about a family drama that I just love. This book follows the lives of two parents and their children following divorce and alternates point of view between them. These characters are incredibly imperfect but I still rooted for all of them - so much so that I read the book in less than 24 hours. The parents’ reflection on parenting and how it changes throughout different chapters - and how it stays the same - will stick with me.

Although the book's start might suggest that it is a romance (older characters trying to start again), the book is much more of a family drama, exploring family secrets, lies, and resentments. Suresh and Lata are recently divorced: he tries to find love in online dating; she begins her first-ever job at the university library, where a professor shows interest in her. Their two children are appalled at the thought of their parents dating. Their daughter Priya is having an affair with a married man who won't leave his wife; their son Nikesh has had a child with a woman he's not sure he loves -- and told his parents he's eloped with her (when they in fact are not married). It's all a hot mess, and the conflicts and tensions are wonderful premises for a novel. At the start, I was drawn in, but as the story progressed, the characters did not. In fact, some seemed to regress, becoming more self-centered and self-absorbed. The end was even more disappointing, with too many problems too neatly wrapped up.

First off, let me just say WOW. What a debut novel! Deepa Varadarajan knocked it out of the park with this story. If you are someone who loves character-driven narratives, this one is for you.

Centered around four members of an Indian American family over the course of just a few weeks, this novel details the complex relationships we hold with our family, as well as how we reflect on our own actions within the context of these relationships. Each family member gets their own POV in the book which I absolutely LOVED. It was so immersive to be in the mind of each main character to see how they are navigating their own life and struggles. Sometimes, having multiple perspectives can only add confusion to the story. In this case, having multiple perspectives worked exceptionally in its favor.

Deepa’s writing style is heartfelt, hilarious, and extremely entertaining. As for the characters themselves, they were complex, relatable, and felt so realistic. I felt for each of them as they were journeying through their own problems but trying to still fit within familial expectations. It was such a delight to watch the characters evolve both individually and as a unit. Overall, I gave this read a solid 4.5 star review! The only thing that was not my favorite was the ending. It was beautifully written, but I felt like Suresh’s character almost stagnated and left me wanting just a bit more. I did love the wrap up for the other three characters, however!

Is it too much to guess already that Deepa Varadarajan will become an auto buy author for me? I highly highly highly recommend checking out this book when it is published on May 2, 2023.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC of Late Bloomers!

Late Bloomers is a family drama that centers on the Raman family. Suresh and Lata end their traditional, arranged marriage after more than 30 years. Suresh dives into online dating and is often dismayed by the lack of honesty in women's dating profiles. Lata is hired for her first job at a library and a professor of jazz history takes a liking to her.

While Suresh and Lata are navigating their new love lives after divorce, their adult children, Priya and Nikesh, are also learning to how to balance their relationships and their personal values: Priya is a history professor currently in a relationship with a married man. Her younger brother, Nikesh is an attorney in New York, has a one year old son with the woman he recently eloped with... that no one in the family seems to like.

The story of the Raman family alternates between each person's perspective and is one of the strengths of this novel. The reader gets to experience each family member's thought processes, their fears, hopes, insecurities, and perceptions of everyone else in the family. Each person has their flaws and that is what makes them endearing. This story leaves you rooting for each person as they figure out what it means to be a "late bloomer" and exploring second chances at happiness.

After thirty-six years in an arranged marrige, Lata Raman has divorced her husband Suresh.
Story is told in four voices - Lata, Suresh, daughter Priya and son Nikesh.
Lata has moved into her own apartment and started working and Suresh has entered the world of
on-line dating. Priya and Nikesh both have secrets regarding their private lives.
The effect the divorce on family dynamics is explored and what second chances may hold.
Heartwarming story about family and forgiveness.
 #LateBloomers #NetGalley

This is a great debut and I am already looking forward to the next book by this author. . It is an interesting plot about an arranged marriage and the impact on the couple’s grown children. I enjoyed each one of the characters, but loved the mom the best. I enjoyed her courage and bravery and I was rooting for her from the beginning. This book is for anyone who likes to read about i retesting people and their relationships. Thank you NetGalley for a ArC.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. Late Bloomers is the story of an Indian American family that is rocked to its core when the father and mother, Suresh and Lata, decide to get divorced after nearly three years of marriage. The story is told through both of their perspectives and that of their son and daughter, Nikesh and Priya. All are currently facing romantic/personal challenges and the ultimate challenge of trying to reorganize their lives around these new changes.

Right from the start, I really enjoyed this book and cared about the main characters. It was easy to recognize the characters imperfections right away but, I found that their flaws were actually endearing. I thought the writing style made the story extremely relatable and easy to see in my head; I think it helped move the story along swiftly, rather than dragging. Also, while the ending was a bit ambiguous, in terms of the characters future, I think it was still satisfying to read and more realistic to what you might expect from these scenarios in real life. I definitely had a smile when I finished the story and found myself thinking about these characters for a while thereafter.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of family oriented fiction or contemporary fiction. While this is not necessarily a deep family saga, I think that fans of this genre would certainly enjoy this book!

This is a story about a family where the parents have recently divorced. The parents and their adult children are all adjusting to this life. It’s an interesting book.

I really enjoyed the different characters in this book, seeing them handle balancing a culture they were born into while living in a completely different one. As someone who has lived in several other countries it can be disorienting and difficult. The one part of you pulling you to explore and embrace the new culture while also being pulled to try and maintain the other one. This book had me hating and loving each character at different times, something I really enjoy in a book because it means that the author has written them well because I am not indifferent to them, I am invested in them. This book is also about starting over, realizing that if the path you chose at the start of your life is not the one you want to be on in the middle, then it is okay to start on a different path. In all cultures, some more than others of course, the idea of “being too old to make a change” is a strong belief. I loved how the characters in this book struggled with that in different ways but decided to take the leap and make the change so that they could enjoy the rest of their lives. Another element that is universal across cultures was the idea that we often only see the achievements of others and assume their life must be perfect because they have those that are meant to be signs of success. Then we take those and only compare them to the things we want in our own life making us feel like we are somehow less than.

I think this book is a great example of why reading books with characters from different backgrounds is important because it shows us that there are so many fundamental things that are the same for us all. It allows us to connect and empathize because it is not an ‘us’ and ‘them’ world but a ‘we’ world.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this lovely book!

After 36 years of an arranged marriage, Lata Raman decides she doesn't even like her husband Suresh and asks for a divorce. Lata moves into a friend's vacant condo and Suresh stays in the family home. Always grumpy and never happy about anything, Suresh isn't sure how to deal with being alone so he signs up for internet dating services. Lata, who never had a job or a date, finds both when she leaves the home. Torn by her insecurities, she isn't sure where her life is taking her. Add in her two dysfunctional children and it is a merry mix of firsts for everyone in the family. A very enjoyable lesson in culture and how it shapes a person's life.

Late Bloomers follows the four members of the Raman family after the parent's divorce. This story started so strong for me. I loved the intimate perspective we got from each character. I particularly loved it when the two or more characters narrated the same events from their own perspective. It was so interesting to see the different ways their own view and feelings changed your perception. Unfortunately about a quarter of the way through the story stalled for me. I appreciated the honest portrayal of imperfect characters but I didn't build enough of a connection to them to root for them despite their failings. I thought the ending was solid, if not a bit forced. It was an enjoyable read nonetheless!

Late Bloomers was… interesting. It had its clever fun moments, but I was tired by just how selfish the characters were. Switching between four perspectives (divorced mom and dad in their sixties, and son and daughter in their thirties) worked well and kept things moving when one character was unenjoyable. However the character of Suresh in particular was difficult to connect with and care for - he was just so clueless and selfish!
Would please fans of literary/family fiction, just not my cup of tea.

Late Bloomers is a fiction novel that follows the perspectives of an Indian American family as they navigate each of their complicated lives.

The family consists of 2 divorced parents and 2 adult children. The parents’ divorce after over 30 years of marriage. We get to see them date and parent their adult children separately for the first time. We also see their adult children navigate different relationships in their 30’s. I enjoyed reading from each character’s perspective in each chapter. I love coming of age stories for adults. The book shows how honesty with yourself and others will ultimately make you happier in life. It also shows several examples of how shame can steer your life in different directions if you allow it to do so. Overall it was a great read.

Thank you NetGalley, Deepa Varadarajan, and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Late Bloomers is a debut novel by Deepa Varadarajan that follows an Indian family of four as they struggle to come to terms with new beginnings and endings. Suresh and Lata have just divorced after a 36 year arranged marriage. Their kids, thirty something Priya and Nikesh are facing their own struggles as well. The old standard of Indian families not relating to eachother on gritty issues and romantic issues is confronted headfirst with the more modern first generation Indian American children dealing with issues that would cause their ancestors to be shocked. The flawed nature of each character was masterfully done, albeit almost to a point where it becomes a little frustrating seeing the characters face problems that could be resolved with asking for help! I was prepared to say this book ended too quickly and too neatly but once I got to the end I was glad that was not the case and not everything was resolved in a tidy manner. I’m shocked this is a debut, because the writing style and character development was excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this eARC in exchange for my honest review and opinion!

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This book is hilarious and touching in that way that feels like real people and not just characters on a page. It's hard for me to believe it's a debut novel because of the writing style that makes it all come to life so easily in my thoughts. If you've ever been in a relationship, you need to read this book.

I personally LOVE reading stories by Indian-origin authors, about Indians.... but I have not had a chance to read too many. When Late Bloomers showed up on the list, I jumped at the opportunity to read it, and am so glad I did!

I loved reading the different perspectives, the internal conflicts (not just about their own lives and decisions, but also regarding the decisions made by other family members). I connected with Lata (the mother)'s story, where she is finally figuring out what she likes and doesn't, and how she wants to spend the next phase of her life.

I was able to follow each character's journey and was rooting for them to do the "right" thing....

The writing and story are thoroughly engaging... some parts are unrealistic (for example, Mallika's story, the physicality of Lata's story, etc.), but still semi-believable.

Overall, I loved the book and the writing style of the author! Looking forward to reading more from her.

#LateBloomers #NetGalley

This is a cute book. All the characters are a hot mess and it is a bit frustrating watching them stumble along and make mistakes just because they prefer to run away rather than confront their problems. The daughter is particularly tiresome. Not much happens really, other than some of the characters do grow. My favorite character was Deanna. It was an enjoyable and quick read with some truly funny moments.

Late Bloomers tells a story that is often not told and was very refreshing to read! The author’s humor was expertly written and never overshadowed the characters. Although each character was a late bloomer in their own way, the journey to each of their own self love, growth, and acceptance made for an excellent read!